Book-support and leaf and copy holder



2 Sheets- Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J.-P. MORTON.

BOOK SUPPORT AND LEAF AND COPY HOLDER.

' Patented Nov. 16, 1886.

W u n I n s VI/illnesses:

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2. J. F. MORTON. I

BOOK SUPPORT AND LEAF AND OOPY HOLDER.

Patented Nov. 16,- 1886.

Fig; Inventor:

JW Il'Morl'ow.

Wll'nesses:

Jlllbruey.

N. PETERS, Pholmuma m hw. Washington. D.c.

* UNITED STAT-Es .ATEN'I, Orrrcn.

JAMES F. MORTON, OF NEIVTON CENTRE, MASSACHUSETTS.

BOQK-SUPPORT AND LEAF AND COPY HOLDE R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 352,654, dated November 16, 1886. Application filed August 19, 1886. Serial No. 211,331. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES F. MORTON, of

' Newton Centre, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Book- Supports and Leaf and Copy Holders, of which the following, taken in connection withthe accompanying drawings, is a specification.

The object of my present invention is the to production of a-light portable reading desk or stand adapted to support a book in an inclined position at any desired angle, and provided with means for holding the leaves of said book open or clamping one or more loose leaves of printers or type-writers copy thereto, said desk or stand being constructed and arranged so that it may be used upon a table or any level or nearly level plane in two different positions by resting upon said plane either of two sides of said desk or stand as a base, according'as it may be desired to clamp the book-leaf or sheet of copy by the bottom or top thereof; and it consists in certain novel features of construction, arrangement,and combination of parts, which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims to be hereinafter given.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a perspective view of my improved book-support and leaf and copy holder in position for holding'a book. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the same device in position for holding copy. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section of the same on line 00 a: on Fig. 4, and Fig. 4 is a vertical section on line y y on Fig. 3. In Figs. 3 and 4 the pivoted book-supporting lid is shown as raised to a steeper angle than in Fig. 1.

In the drawings, A A are two nearly triangular side frames connected together by the front tie bar or plate, A, and the two rear tie-bars, A and A as shown in Fig. 3.,

B is the lid pivoted or hinged to the bar A and having secured to its upper outer side at its hinged end the ledge B, against which the lower end of the book 0 rests when the stand is used in the position shown in Fig. 1. A wire shaft, D, provided with the crank-like offset-s a a and bent to form the two leaf-holding fingers c c, all made froma single piece of wire, is mounted in bearings b b I), set in the upper side of the ledge B, with the crank-offset a a resting upon the leaf-spring E, the tension of which tends to press the ends of the fingers upon the leaf of the book or the sheet of copy, and also to hold said fingers in their retracted position, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. This construction of the leaf-holding fingers and their shaft is substantially the same as shown and described in Letters Patent No. 339,202, granted to me April 6, 1886.

The back or under side of the lid B has secured thereon the bar F, having formed therein a series of ratchet-teeth, d d, with which the wire bail-like pawl Gr engages to hold said lid at any desired angle greater than its normal position. (Shown in Fig. 1.) I

The bail-like wire pawl G has its bearings in the side frames, A A, and when not engaging with the teeth (1 d rests upon the pin 6, projecting inward from the upper rear tiebar A, all as shown in Fig. 3.

c 0 hard Theoperation of my invention will be readily I understood from the foregoing without further description here.

One advantage of my invention is that it may be used for supporting heavy .bound books or pamphlets and holding their leaves open, or for holding loose sheets of paper with equal facility at the same time that the angle of inclination of the book or sheet-supporting lid may be varied at pleasure. Another advantage is thatthe device is portable, and may be used upon any level or slightly-inclined flat surface without the necessity of clamping it thereto, and therefore may be readily moved from one position to another to suit the taste or. notion of the user.

I am aware of the existence of Letters Patent No. 311,514, dated February 3, 1885, and do not claim anything therein contained.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. A book-support and leaf or copy holder containing thefollowing elements, viz: a stand having two sides at right angles to each other, either of which may be used as a base to rest upon a flat plane, and having an inclined upper. side, a lid hinged at one end to said stand and provided with a projecting ledge at or near its hinged end, a pair of spring-actuated fingers for holding the book open or clamping the copy-sheet, and a ratchet and pawl. for In testimony whereof Ihave signed my name adjusting said lid to different angles of inclinato this specification, in the presence of two subtion. scribing Witnesses, onthis 12th day of August,

2. The combination of the stand A A A. A. D. 1886.

5 the lid B, hinged to said stand, and provided with the ledge B, the ratchet-teeth d d, the- JAMES F. MORTON.

pawl G, the shaft D, provided with the offset a a, and the curved fingers c c, and the spring Witnesses: E, all constructed, arranged, and operating N. G. LOMBARD,

10 substantially as described. CHARLES K. STEARNS. 

